From a Brush Arbor on Farrs Bridge Road to an Octagon Sanctuary
Berea First Baptist Church sits at 529 Farrs Bridge Road on the west side of Greenville, South Carolina, and it has been gathering for worship in this neighborhood since 1843. The church's earliest chapter is still part of its story. A few Baptist families from the surrounding farms, members of the older Head of Enoree Baptist Church, began to see the need for a church of their own. One of the first preachers in the area was Samuel Gibson, an Englishman of good education and unblemished character, who tradition says preached from the doorway of Brother Isham J. Ward's home while the worshippers sat under a brush arbor in the yard, protected from the Carolina sun.
On December 23, 1843, the Berea Baptist Church was organized with twenty-three charter members - nine men and fourteen women - dismissed by letter from the Head of Enoree Baptist Church. Their names are still recorded in order: James Farr, William Wheeler, Martin Hunt, Moses Pritchet, Isham J. Ward, John Celey, P.E. Hawkins, Jordan Batson, I.H. Benedict, Ann B. Wheeler, Martha Hunt, Nancy Ward, Sarah Ward, Susan Celey, Sarah A. Dupree, Elizabeth Davis, Elizabeth Cureton, Nancy Young, Caroline Young, and Francis Ligon. The church was regularly constituted by a presbytery of Rev. Samuel Gibson, Rev. M. Wynn, and Rev. J.M. Roberts, with Rev. Roberts chosen as the first pastor.
The congregation took the name "Berea" after the New Testament city whose people treated the Apostle Paul more kindly than did the people of Thessalonica (Acts 17:10-11), and adopted the abstract principles of the Tyger River Association. In 1891 the second church house was begun; the old building was rolled down the road to become part of an earlier Rocky Mount Church. A new structure was finished in 1892 with R.A. Kay supervising the building. Sunday School rooms were added beside the church in 1933 during Rev. Percy Hughes' pastorate. The first Education Building was dedicated in 1949, with Dr. S.H. Jones, editor of the Baptist Courier, preaching the sermon. A $140,000 auditorium was completed in 1955, and in 1965 the chapel, adult Sunday School rooms, church offices, choir rehearsal room, nursery area, and beginner and primary departments were built. Because other Baptist churches had since been planted in the area, the congregation voted on July 11, 1965 to change the official name to Berea First Baptist Church.
The campus continued to grow. A gymnasium opened in 1971, complete with glass backboards, bleachers, and courts for skating and volleyball, and it served as a model for church gyms in the area. The current octagon-shaped sanctuary, a "theater in the round" design that allows the congregation to gather on every side of the platform, held its first worship service on Easter Sunday, April 18, 1976. In 1992 a Senior Adult Building, a Child Development Center, a youth room, and a lighted softball field with bleachers and a playground were added. More recently the Worship Center and a new Welcome Center were upgraded, and a student ministry center named CrossWalk was constructed across the parking lot.
A Newer Purpose Statement: Glorify God and Make Disciples
For most of its modern life the church has summarized its work as helping people "connect with Christ" through Worship, Bible Study, Missions, and Community. As the church prayed through what it labels Vision 2030, the leadership adopted a new purpose statement: "We exist to glorify God and make disciples." One of the goals that came out of that season is 10,000 gospel conversations over the next four-plus years, tracked by a system the congregation began using in October.
Worship, Bible Study, Missions, and Community remain the four connecting points of the church's ministry. Worship is the Sunday gathering for song and praise; Bible Study is the network of Connect Groups; Missions is the outward work of the congregation in Berea, across North America, and around the world; and Community is the network of life-stage ministries that keeps people walking together through every season.
Sunday Mornings: Connect Groups and a Blended Celebration
The Sunday schedule begins at 9:00 a.m. with Morning Connect Groups - the church's name for its Sunday School classes. These groups meet all over the buildings and are organized for every age: babies through 5th grade in the Child Development Center; 6th through 12th grade in the CrossWalk downstairs; college and young professionals in Rooms 301/303 of the Old Sanctuary Building; and a long list of adult classes in the Old Sanctuary, the Conference Room, and the Patio Room. Teachers include Ford Pfister and Andrew Lewis for a young couples class, Billy Moseley for 30s-40s, Jim Southerland for 40s-60s, Rick Boone for 40s-50s couples, Nate McCue for 50s, Nancy Cooper for 50s-60s couples in the "Circle of Friends," and others for 60s, 70s, and senior adults. Volunteers at the Welcome Center walk new visitors to the right room.
At 10:15 a.m. the whole congregation gathers in the octagon sanctuary for Morning Worship, led by Worship Pastor Dr. Zach Jones and his team. The service is best described as blended. The praise band, made up of several vocalists and a contemporary-style band with drums, guitars, keys, and piano, leads congregational singing drawn from contemporary sources such as Keith and Kristyn Getty, Phil Wickham, and Chris Tomlin, while the adult choir draws on a wide variety of styles, from contemporary to southern gospel to more traditional anthems. Some Sundays a full orchestra joins; others a single piano or acoustic guitar leads. The aim of every gathering, the church says, is that God's Word is free to shape hearts.
Pastor Chad Rickenbaker, who joined the staff in the summer of 2013, preaches expositionally through books of the Bible, working verse by verse through 1 Peter in the recent sermon season. Services run roughly 75 minutes, with a target of finishing by 11:30, and include a brief greeting time during which members turn and welcome one another - and any visitors who happen to be in the room.
A Worship in Two Languages
Alongside the English-language gathering, Berea First Baptist holds a Spanish-language service every Sunday at 10:15 a.m. The Hispanic Ministry meets in the Chapel located directly behind the Main Sanctuary, and the church's announcement reads in Spanish as well as English: "Todos los domingos a las 10:15 am, nuestro Ministerio Hispano tiene un Servicio en Español en la Capilla, ubicada directamente detrás de nuestro Santuario Principal." The Hispanic Ministry is pastored by Nahun Gil and his wife Belly, who joined the staff in 2024 after years of church planting in Peru. Periodically the two congregations combine for a joint bilingual service, as they did on August 16, 2026.
Kid's Worship and the Children's Hour
Children are a constant presence in the worship service. During the 10:15 gathering, preschoolers and elementary children from age 4 through 3rd grade sit with their families at the start of the service. After the greeting time they are dismissed for Kid's Worship, which meets at The Dock - the renovated children's space directly below the Child Development Center - for music, activities, and an age-based Bible lesson. Babies through 3-year-olds stay with their families or are cared for in the Nursery in the Child Development Center.
4th and 5th graders remain with their parents in the sanctuary for the sermon. Children's Sunday School classes meet at 9:00 a.m. in age-specific rooms in the Child Development Center and Children's Hall, where babies are in Room 111, 1's in 112, 2's in 109, 3's in 106, and 4's and 5's in 107. First- and second-graders meet in the Purple Room and third-through-fifth graders in the Red Room.
Wednesday Nights: From Supper to Choir Rehearsal
The Wednesday program runs during the school year and turns the campus into a hub of activity from late afternoon until 9:00 p.m. Supper is served from 5:15 to 6:00 p.m. in the Senior Adult Building. Each week brings a home-cooked meal or a Chick-fil-A option for $6 a plate, and reservations are taken by Monday noon so the kitchen can prepare enough. A sample menu: baked chicken, mac and cheese, creamed corn, baby lima beans, or Chick-fil-A nuggets or sandwich with chips.
At 5:45 p.m. the doors of the Crosswalk swing open for the student ministry, with free pizza and games before the service begins at 6:30. Kid's Choir practice for grades 1-5 runs in the Main Sanctuary from 5:55 to 6:25, with two musicals a year - one at Christmas and one in the spring - plus periodic singing in the morning service. KidzLife, the children's midweek program, runs from 6:30 to 7:30 in the Child Development Center (babies through 2's), The Dock (3's through 5's), and the Gymnasium (1st through 5th grades). It is built on a Bible-centered curriculum with lessons, journals, songs, and small-group time, with a six-year cycle for older kids, two years for K3-K4, and one year for Kiddoz. Adult Bible Study fills the Main Sanctuary from 6:30 to 7:30 with Pastor Chad leading; the church also offers term-based Bible studies by various Christian authors for men and women. Adult Choir practice closes out the evening from 7:30 to 9:00 in the Choir Room.
The Dock and KidzLife: Children's Ministry in a Renovated Space
Children's ministry has long been part of Berea First Baptist's identity. In January 2016 the ministry took on the name "The Dock," and the space beneath the nursery and Child Development Center was completely renovated with new carpet, paint, furnishings, and a Dock theme throughout. The renovation was carried out by church members who gave of their time, and the rooms now host Bible stories, verse memorization, hands-on activities, missions projects serving the Reaching Center, and the children's choirs. Dawn Maness, who grew up in the Student Ministry at BFBC herself and previously directed the Child Development Center, oversees the ministry along with education ministries for the congregation.
CrossWalk: Student Ministry for 6th-12th Grade
The student ministry meets in the CrossWalk, a separate building across the parking lot from the sanctuary that was built during the recent facility upgrades. The goal, the church writes, "is that every student would build meaningful relationships with one another, our leaders, and God's word so that they can experience the transformative power of a relationship with Jesus." Student Pastor Blake Patton, who joined the staff in November 2025 from a middle school pastor role in Boiling Springs, South Carolina, leads the ministry with support from a team of interns.
On Sundays, doors open at 8:45 a.m. for breakfast snacks; age-based Connect Groups begin at 9:15. The students then join the whole congregation for worship in the sanctuary at 10:15. On Wednesdays, doors open at 5:45 for pizza, games, and community; the student service runs from 6:30 to 7:45 with worship, teaching, and age- and gender-based small groups, ending with pick-up at 7:45. Monthly the students lead in the church's family ministries - Vacation Bible School, Children's Summer Camp, Kid's Worship each Sunday - and they serve through mission partnerships that include PESCA Ministries in Ecuador and a Christmas party for the Down Syndrome Association of the Upstate.
College Ministry: Mondays in the Patio Room
The College Ministry is for college students and young professionals ages 18-25, led out of the Next Gen team by Executive Pastor Ford Pfister. A Bible study meets on Sundays at 9:30 a.m. in Rooms 301/303, and a College Small Group gathers every Monday at 7:00 p.m. in the Patio Room behind the gym, followed by open gym and volleyball at 8:00. Each January the group travels to the Passion Conference, and past summer mission trips have taken students to Bangkok, Thailand (2018, ESL teaching and outreach), Riga, Latvia (2019, ministry to college students), and Ecuador (2026, VBS at a partner school).
Men's, Women's, and Senior Adult Connection
The Men's Ministry is a renewed work, with a team of men prayerfully seeking God's direction for Bible studies, events, and small groups. The Women's Ministry runs Bible studies tailored for women, fun events with guest speakers, and weekly Connection Groups focused on missions, Bible study, and mutual encouragement. Senior adults, the largest and most active of the connection ministries, meet as "The Friendship Group" for monthly lunches with special guests from the church, the community, and beyond, along with trips and opportunities to serve.
Acts 1:8 as the Standard for Missions
Berea First Baptist organizes its mission work around Acts 1:8 - "you shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth" - and the church lays out its focus in three concentric circles.
At the center is Berea, "our Jerusalem." The Reaching Center, the church's flagship local outreach, opens Tuesday mornings to provide food, clothing, and (in partnership with the Lions Club) eye screening to families in need. Volunteers pray with each family and use the conversations as opportunities to share the love of Jesus. The Armstrong Partnership extends the same idea through Armstrong Elementary: every Monday beginning in September, volunteers lead a Good News Club, and each weekend the church packs and delivers twenty or more Backpack Buddies bags of food for children at nutritional risk when school is out. Mission Berea, a week-long local effort, includes a Backyard Bible Club at Hawk's Landing, Reaching Center service, outreach to first responders, and construction projects in the community.
North America is "our Judea/Samaria." For more than two years the church has partnered with Barry and Jennifer Smith and Pioneer Community Church in Eagle Mountain, Utah, sending volunteer teams in 2021 and 2022 to assist with outreach. A newer partnership with Arborway Community Church in Jamaica Plain (Boston), pastored by Ivey Rhodes, has included an August 30 to September 2 trip for outreach, a school supply drive, and a community movie night.
The international tier is "the ends of the earth." Since 2010 the church has worked with Hands of Kindness in Uganda, where a dorm, a medical clinic, and a well project now serve orphaned children. The church partners with P.E.S.C.A. Ministries in Ecuador, returning each summer for camp ministry and VBS, and is partnering with CrossVision Missions in Queretaro, Mexico, to assist church planters through evangelical visits and encouragement.
Reaching Center and the Tuesday-Morning Front Door
The Reaching Center is the most visible arm of the church's local mercy ministry. It is the place the staff points people to when they ask for help: when the "Need Hope?" page receives a request, the church reminds the visitor that "we provide food/clothing assistance on Tuesdays through our Reaching Center." Tuesday mornings, volunteers assist with practical needs and pray with the families who come through the doors, while Lions Club partners provide eye screenings. The Center is funded by the church budget and staffed by volunteers drawn from across the congregation.
Prayer as the Heartbeat
Berea First Baptist describes its prayer ministry as the heartbeat of the church's relationship with God. An Intercessory Prayer Ministry of trained and confidential prayer partners lifts up requests throughout the week, with a one-year commitment to pray one hour a week in the Intercessory Prayer Room. Prayer requests can be submitted through the prayer page or by emailing prayerrequest@bereafbc.org, and they remain in the Prayer Room for thirty days.
Other prayer groups include Ministry Prayer Partners who pray daily for a designated minister and ministry, a weekly Men's Prayer Group that meets Thursdays at 7:00 a.m. to read Scripture and pray, Grandmothers in Prayer for grandchildren, Moms in Prayer (a part of Moms in Prayer International), a Student Prayer Ministry that prays through the week for 6th-12th graders by name, Prayerwalking on church and community sites, prayer for widows, and prayer for homebound members.
Baptism and Membership
Baptism at Berea First Baptist is by immersion and is described as "a first step in obedience to Christ." The church holds regular baptism services and invites anyone who has trusted in Jesus to come to the front of the Worship Center after a service to speak with a pastor. Membership begins with the "Get Connected" New Members Class, taught by the Senior Pastor. Prerequisites are a personal profession of faith in Jesus, baptism by immersion since that profession, and, for those transferring from another Baptist church, a transfer letter from the previous congregation.
The Staff That Leads the Church
Dr. Chad Rickenbaker has served as Senior Pastor since the summer of 2013. He holds a Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, has served in pastorates in North and South Carolina, and preaches expositionally through books of the Bible.
Dr. Zach Jones is the Worship Pastor. He and his wife Terra have three teenage sons, and he brings more than twenty years of worship-leading experience along with a Bachelor of Arts in Church Music, a Master of Divinity in Christian Ministry, and a Ph.D. in Theology and Worship. He also teaches worship theology and worship history as an adjunct at Liberty University's School of Music.
Nahun Gil is the Hispanic Pastor, joined in 2024 after years of church planting in Peru.
Ford Pfister is the Executive Pastor. He and his wife Rebecca joined in October 2020 from Samaritan's Purse in Boone, North Carolina, where he helped develop the Apprentice Program for Christian non-profit leaders. He holds a degree in Christian Studies from North Greenville University and is finishing a Master of Divinity through Southern Seminary. He oversees the Next Gen ministry team from birth through high school and leads the college and young adult ministry.
Blake Patton is the Student Pastor, joined in November 2025 from Boiling Springs, South Carolina, with degrees in Youth Ministry and a Master of Divinity from North Greenville University.
Dawn Maness is the Director of Children's and Education Ministries. She and her husband Jeff grew up in BFBC's Student Ministry, and their three young-adult children are active members. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education from Erskine College and a Master of Education from Southern Wesleyan University.
The student ministry is supported by interns Cameron Woiczechowski, Will Maness, and Natalie Cannon, with Cross Davis serving as band director in the worship ministry.
Music, Media, and the Practice of Staying Connected
The church's musical life is built around the adult choir, the children's choirs, and the praise band, all of which serve the blended Sunday gathering. Past recordings of services are archived on the church's video page, on YouTube, and on Vimeo, and live services stream online, with the countdown beginning at 10:10 a.m. on Sundays and 6:25 p.m. on Wednesdays.
The "Reflections" newsletter, published semi-weekly, lists the latest schedule and updates for every ministry and can be subscribed to from the homepage. Pastor Chad and other staff also write sermons, devotionals, letters to the church, and announcements on the church blog, and sermons are posted in written form with the full text of the message - including the recent 1 Peter series on living as a faithful witness in an unwelcoming world, the victory of Christ through suffering, and overcoming the fear of witnessing.
Planning a First Visit
The Welcome Center entrance is the glass area just to the left of the Main Sanctuary, with parking reserved directly across from it for first-time guests. Trained volunteers inside the Welcome Center offer coffee, answer questions, and walk visitors to the right Bible study class for their family. The dress code is wide open; on any given Sunday the congregation includes jeans and hoodies as readily as suits and dresses. Children's Ministry uses MinistrySafe for all of its programs, and parents are asked to drop off and pick up their children for their security.
The church's offices are open Monday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and giving is available online through the church's giving portal. Visitors can also text "connect" to 864.660.7739 to stay informed about upcoming events, classes, and ministries.